differential
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differential
- [dɪfəˈɹənʃəɫ]
Where it comes from
Learned borrowing from Latin differentiālis. By surface analysis, different + -ial.
adjective more differential · most differential
- Of or pertaining to a difference. differential characteristics
- Dependent on, or making a difference; distinctive.
- Having differences in speed or direction of motion.
- Of or pertaining to differentiation or the differential calculus.
noun differentials
- The differential gear in an automobile, etc.
- A qualitative or quantitative difference between similar or comparable things.
- One of two coils of conducting wire so related to one another or to a magnet or armature common to both, that one coil produces polar action contrary to that of the other.
- A form of conductor used for dividing and distributing the current to a series of electric lamps so as to maintain equal action in all.
- A quantity representing an infinitesimal change in a variable, now only used as a heuristic aid except in nonstandard analysis but considered rigorous until the 20th century; a fluxion in Newtonian calculus, now usually written in Leibniz's notation as operatorname d!x.
- A function giving the change in the linear approximation of f at a point x over a small interval Δx or operatorname d!x, the function being called the differential of f and denoted operatorname d!f(x,Δx), operatorname d!f(x), or simply operatorname d!f. If f(x)#61;x², the differential of f is the function #92;operatorname#123;d#125;#92;#33;f(x,#92;Deltax)#61;f'(x)#92;Deltax#61;2x#92;Deltax.
- Any of several generalizations of this concept to functions of several variables or to higher orders: the partial differential, total differential, Gateaux differential, etc.
- The Jacobian matrix of a function of several variables.
- The pushforward or total derivative of ϕ: a linear map from the tangent space at a point x in ϕ's domain to the tangent space at ϕ(x) which is, in a technical sense, the best linear approximation of ϕ at x; denoted operatorname d!ϕₓ.
- Any of several generalizations of the concept(s) above: e.g. the Kähler differential in the setting of schemes, the quadratic differential in the theory of Riemann surfaces, etc.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: derivative, derived function, differential gear, differential coefficient, first derivative, differentiation, difference, distinction, different, distinctive, discriminatory, differing, discrimination, discrete, contrast, spin-off
Translations
Every language
adj relating to a difference
| Español | diferencial |
|---|---|
| हिन्दी | अवकल avkal |
| Ελληνικά | διαφορικός diaforikós |
adj dependent on, distinctive
| Ελληνικά | διάφορος diáforos |
|---|
adj relating to differentiation or differential calculus
| Español | diferencial |
|---|---|
| हिन्दी | अवकल avkal |
| Português | diferencial |
| Français | différentiel |
| Deutsch | Differenzial |
| Ελληνικά | διαφορικός diaforikós |
| Русский | дифференциа́льный differenciálʹnyj |
| Tiếng Việt | vi phân |
noun difference between similar or comparable things
| Ελληνικά | διαφορικό diaforikó |
|---|
noun infinitesimal change
| Español | diferencial |
|---|---|
| Português | diferencial |
| Français | différentielle |
| Italiano | differenziale |
| Ελληνικά | διαφορικό diaforikó |
| Русский | дифференциа́л differenciál |
| עברית | דיפרנציאל difrentziál |
Talk about this word "differential." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/differential. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. differential. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/differential "differential." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/differential.Cite this
@misc{differential_2026,
title = {differential},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/differential},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
